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DOWNTOWN
POST NYC
News and Events
in Lower Manhattan
Volume 1, No. 97 July 28, 2014
FIRST TIME EVER: DOWNTOWN LITTLE LEAGUE JUNIORS AND 11'S WIN
NEW YORK STATE SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN THEIR AGE GROUPS
The Downtown Little League Juniors won the New York State
SoftballChampionship on Saturday. On the team: Morgan O'Mara,
Emily
Samar, Brooke Kirwin, Sophia Marino, Ava Villalba, Annalisa
Valdivia,
Ava O'Mara, Zoe Morrison, Amy Lischin, Kellin
Hostler-Burrows.
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What a difference three years can make. To anyone who has ever
thought about giving up, here's astory.
On July 27, the Downtown Little League Junior softball team
(ages 12 to 14) beat Haverstraw, 7 to6, to become the New York
State champions. On July 28, the DLL 11's softball team beat
Pearl
River, 3 to 2, in extra innings, to become the New York State
champions in their age group.
But these aren't just scores.
"Just three years ago we decided to enter the now Juniors girls
into the Little League post-season 10-11 tournament," said Scott
Morrison, coach of the 11's team. "We made it to the Sections
[playoffs]because there were no teams in the district of Manhattan
to play [against]. Our first game in theSections was against South
Shore Little League in Staten Island. They destroyed us. They
werebeating our team so badly that the large outfield score board
was turned off after the 1st inning insympathy."
The game was called off after four innings.
"The coaches (I was one) and the majority of the girls on that
team never looked back and nevergave up," Morrison said. "Three
years later, they win the New York State Championship! It's quitean
accomplishment."
Beginning this Friday, Aug. 1, the Juniors will go to West
Haven, Conn. to play the winning teamsfrom eight other states for
the Eastern Region softball title in their age group. Should they
win, theywould go to Kirkland, Wash. for the televised "World
Series."
The game against Haverstraw that clinched the New York State
title for the Juniors was indicative ofthe grit that they bring to
their play. They were down 4-3 by the end of the first inning. The
game
seesawed back and forth and was tied 6 to 6 until, in the 6th
inning, Morgan O'Mara scored whatproved to be the winning run. Her
twin sister, Ava O'Mara, got Haverstraw to pop up with whatwould
have been the tying run at second base, giving Downtown Little
League New York City'sfirst-ever girls' New York State Little
League softball championship.
"We always tell the girls that it is a long game and to hang in
there," said Joe Marino, who coachesthe Juniors.
"We tell them to keep your heads up and be mentally tough - good
things will happen as a result,"said Morrison. "Never show fear or
disappointment. We also always remind them of how proud thecoaches
and parents are of them."
Morrison said that the girls are increasingly confident. "They
now know they can hit any pitcher theyface no matter how fast she
throws," he said. "They know that they can bounce back from errors,
orfrom being down five runs. They've learned never to give up in a
game."
He attributes the success of the Downtown Little League girls to
"mental toughness and aggressivebase running. They know to always
take that next base whenever an opportunity is available. Also,the
girls make very few errors in the field versus their
opposition."
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Morrison said that fast-pitch softball is a game of speed. The
14-year-old girls pitch at about 55mph. The 11's pitch in the mid
to high 40's.
"Speed on the bases really separates girls who play this game,"
he said, "being able to have a quickreaction and hand-eye
coordination at bat and then beating the throw to first, or taking
that extra
base. Our Juniors and 11s faced teams in the tournament who had
several players who could slugthe ball to the fences. Where our
girls excelled is in pitching and being agile and aggressive
whenthey got on base - taking advantage of every opportunity to
take the next base."
Most of the girls started playing baseball around the age of 8,
according to Marino. They moved onto softball the next year and
have been playing together ever since. All of them live below
CanalStreet in Lower Manhattan. Downtown Little League's softball
division grew from four teams ofapproximately 40 girls four years
ago to more than 160 girls today.
"You should hear the questions we receive when we came to the
States, let alone Long Island for theSections," said Morrison.
"Other team parents are astonished. 'Where do you play? There is a
LittleLeague in Manhattan?' I think people are incredulous that we
even have a Little League much less
State Champion-caliber teams."
"Call it David vs. Goliath!" said Marino of the Juniors' triumph
in their division. Of the 11's winover Pearl River to take the
championship title, Morrison said, "It was an unbelievable
game."
There are no more games for the 11's to play this season to
prove their mettle. Whether the Juniorswin or lose in the next
round, "We continue to remind them that they are already champions
just bybeing here at the State tournament," said Morrison.
The girls will take these wins with them for the rest of their
lives, knowing that they have what ittakes to overcome anything
that fate tosses at them.
